If you haven’t heard about it yet, a magical thing happens when you add Jell-O to cake mix. The taste and texture are both altered in a way that makes it moist, dense, and even more delicious, with traces of whatever flavor of Jell-O powder you mix in. This same thing happens when you add Jell-O to your favorite sugar cookie or snickerdoodle recipe (or box mix), too. All you need for this tasty, easy treat is your cookie dough (homemade or store-bought) and boxes of Jell-O in your preferred flavors. If you’re using a boxed mix for either of these types of cookies, you just need to mix it up with the butter and eggs into a dough first. Separate the dough into equal parts based on how many flavors of Jell-O you want to use. Go for about 2 to 3 tablespoons of Jell-O mix per portion, but you can adjust based on how strong you want the flavors to be.
When making your own sugar cookies, the softness of their texture is often crucial. You can take a peek at how Ree Drummond ensures her sugar cookies are soft every time, and other hacks, tips, and tricks exist across the internet, but Jell-O is an easy way to get the same effect. The gelatin that gives Jell-O it’s signature texture also retains moisture well, binding water molecules inside of your batter and keeping your baked treats fresh and moist much longer. So not only do you get unique flavors, but you also get a tender crumb that holds onto its moisture for some time.
Fun variations the whole family will love
These cookies are great for anyone who wants a sweet treat, especially if you bake them from a boxed mix that doesn’t require the time and effort that it takes to make a whole batch of cookies from scratch. It’s also a perfect idea for younger kids. The ingredients don’t create too much of a mess, unlike working with traditional food dye or gel, and your little ones can have fun mixing and playing with the dough like edible, colored play dough. It’s a great tactile experience while also teaching some basic baking skills, and they have a tasty treat waiting for them at the end of it all, too.
If you’re looking to elevate these cookies a little, you can use the same tricks that you’d use to upgrade store-bought sugar cookie dough as well. Toss in roasted nuts for extra texture, or add some chocolate chips or sprinkles for a bright pop of sweetness. You could also just make batches of sugar cookies with different shades of Jell-O, so you end up with a whole array of rainbow colors. Strawberry, lemon, lime, and berry blue Jell-O not only create a great spread of colors, but they also give you a lot of different flavors, and you can always use the leftover powder in other batches of cookies in the future. It’s a win-win situation that will keep your kids occupied and give you a tasty take on a traditional dessert.
